Driving mechanism for variable-speed machines.



E. M. WOODWARD.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR VARIABLE SPEED MACHINES. APPLlC-ATION FILED MAY19. 1909.

Patented. June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- [mn GHZLOT WL%7Z65, fi fciward/W M wdwara E. M.WOODWARD DRIVING MECHANISM FOR VARIABLE SPEED MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1909.

L1%,@?% Patentedl'une 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TH E NORRIS FETERS 60.. FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. cry 6 DRIVINGMECHANISM FOR VARIABLE-SPEED MAUI-TIMES.

intents.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22 1915.

Application filed May 19, 1969. Serial No. 497,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, EDWARD M. WOOD- WARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at l/Vorcester, in the county of Worcester andCommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Driving Mechanism for Variable-Speed Machines, of whichthe following is a specification, accompanied by drawings, forming apart of the same, in which Figure 1 represents an end elevation of adriving mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame, and Fig. 3 is a detachedview of the countershaft, with the pulleysthereon shown in sectional view.

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in thedilferent views. The object of my present invention is to provide adriving mechanism for that class of machines which require to be drivenat diflerent speeds according to the varying conditions of the workperformed and, in the accompanying drawings, 1 have shown my inventionas embodied in a driving mechanism applied to a metal planing machinefor reciprocating the planer table at different speeds, according to thecharacter of the work or the length of the stroke, the particular objectof the invention being to increase the range of variation in speed overother devices now employed for that purpose without the use of gearing,and my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of partsas hereinafter described and pointed out in the annexed claims.

In operating the reciprocating tables of metal planing machines, it isdesirable to impart to the table different speeds during the cuttingstroke according to the character of the work performed, and it is alsodesirable to impart to the table difierent speeds during the returnstroke according to the length of the stroke. These variations in speedhave heretofore been produced by a system of gearing interposed betweenthe driving power and the reciprocating table, and it has also beenproposed to impart power to the reciprocating table through belts orwrapping connections with pulleys running at diiferent speeds, therebyavoiding the expense of construction, friction, and noise incident tothe use of gearing.

lvly present invention relates to that class of driving mechanism bywhich power is applied by belts or wrapping connections,

and by my improvements T am able to secure a greater range in thevariation of speed during the cutting stroke of the table of a metalplaning machine, and also a variation in the speed during the returnstroke. 1 am also able to control the variation in speed of either thecutting or return stroke independently of each other.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a planer bed and 2 thereciprocating table, having suitable geared connection, not shown, witha shaft 3 journaled in the bed of the machine in the usual and wellknown manner, and any desired speed of which the driving mechanism iscapable is imparted to the reciprocating table 2 by a variation in thespeed of the shaft 3. Attached to the shaft 3 are pulleys r and 5,having corresponding loose pulleys 6 and 7, to receive the driving belts8 and 9 when the machine is not in use. v pon the opposite end of theshaft 3 is attached a pulley 10, and carried upon the shaft is acorresponding loose pulley 11 to receive a driving belt 12. T he belts8, 9 and 12 connect their respective pulleys with driving pulleys upon acounter-shaft 13, the belt 12 being crossed so as to impart a reversemotion to the shaft 3. The countershaft 13 is journaled in suitablehangers 11 above the metal planer, and in position to be convenientlydriven by belt connections from a main shaft 15, which is rotated fromany convenient source of power through a belt pulley 16. Attached to themain shaft 15 are driving pulleys 17 and 18, having belt connections 19and 20 with pulleys carried upon the countershaft 13. The relative sizesof the pulleys connected by the driving belts 19 and 20 are such thatthe countershaft 13 will be driven at a higher rate of speed by the belt19 than by the belt 20.

The counter-shaft 13, which is shown de tached in lFig. 23, carries thepulleys 21 and 22 attached to the countershaft and the loose pulleys 23,2a and 25. The loose pulley 2% is a stepped pulley, having the steps 26and 27 of different diameters. The loose pulley 25 is a companion to thestep 27 and the loose pulley is a companion to the tight pulley 22. Thehub of the pulley 24- is provided with a clutch member 28, which isprovided with a sliding clutch member 29, havmg a spline connection withthe countershaft 13 by means of the spline 30, and capable of alongitudinal movement on the countershaft in order to carry the clutchmembers into and out of engagement by means of a fork 31' and a shippinglever 32, in the usual manner in operating clutch devices ofthis class.V

Motion is imparted to the table 2 during the cutting stroke by means ofeither of the driving belts .8 or 9, which run upon the loose pulleys 6and 7 and are capable of being shifted by suitable belt shippingmechanism, not shown, upon the tight pulleys 4 and5. The belt 8 runsupon the larger step 26 and the belt 9 upon the smaller step 27 of thepulley 24, so that, when the shaft 3 is driven through the belt 8, itrevolves at a higher "rate of speed than when driven through the belt 9.Two speeds may, therefore, be given to the table 2 as power is impartedthrough either of the belts 8 or 9 with the pulley 24 runningat aconstant speed. Two different speeds may, however, be imparted to thepulley 24 first, by drivlng the pulley 24 by the belt 20 on thesmallerstepv 27 of the pulley 24 or, second, by carrying the belt 20.upon the loose pulley 25 and connecting the pulley 24 with the shaft 13by means of the clutch members 28 and 29, and driving the shaft by meansof the belt connection 19 between the pulley 17 on the main shaft 15 andthe tight pulley 22 on the shaft 13. The pulley 24 will then be rotatedfrom the shaft 13 at a higher rate of speed than by means of the belt20, thereby increasing the'velocity of both the belts 8 and 9. V V

I thereby securetwo initial speeds of the pulley 24 one, when driven bythe belt 20 and the other when driven from the shaft 13, and also twovariations of speed between the pulley 24and the shaft 3 due to thedifference in diameter between the steps 26 and 27, enabling thereciprocating table 2 to be driven at four different rates of speedduring its cutting stroke. By carrying the belt 19 upon the loose pulley23, driving the pulley. 24. by the belt 20 and engaging the clutchmembers 28 and 29, I am enabled to drivethe countershaft 13 at a speeddeterminedby the velocity of the belt 520. I consequently obtain two.difi'erent speeds of the pulley 21, by which the shaft 3 is reversedthrough the crossed belt 12.

r the above described arrangement of pulleysand belts, I obtaintwodifferent speeds for the reverse movement of the shaft 3,, giving twodifferentspeeds for the return stroke of the table and four difierentspeeds for the cutting stroke of the table through the belts 8 and 9.The belt shipping mechanisms for controlling the belt 12- fordriving thetable upon its return stroke,

and the belts Sand 9 for moving the table upon its forward or cuttingstroke are not shown in the accompanying drawings, as they may be of theusual type of belt shipping devices now employed on metal planingmachines and, in practice, these belt shipping mechanisms are usuallycontrolled automatically by the movement of the ta- .ble 2.

speed than those obtained by the steps 26 and 27. For example, if thepulley 24 were provided with three steps carrying three driving belts,with a corresponding increase of tight and loose pulleys upon the shaft3, three separate speeds could be obtained with the constant speed ofthe driving pulley 24, and, with the two changes already noted in thespeed of the pulley 24, a selection of six different speeds may be madefor the cutting stroke of the table.

I claim,

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a main shaft, a countershaft,a stepped pulley running loosely on said countershaft, and having aperipheral driving surface coextensive with one of its steps, a beltconnection between said driving surface and the main shaft forestablishing at will a predetermined driving ratio between said mainshaft and said stepped pulley, secondary means for driving said steppedpulley from the main shaft at a different speed, a driven shaft, andmeans for rotating said driven shaft from the different steps of saidstepped pulley.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a countershaft, means forrotating said countershaft, a stepped pulley, with steps of differentdiameters, running loosely on said countershaft, a loose pulley on saidcountershaft having the diameter of one of the steps of said steppedpulley and arranged to receive a belt from said pulley, abelt connectionfor rotating said stepped pulley and operative with respect to a drivingsurface thereon which is a continuation of one of the steps thereof,means for operatively connecting said stepped pulley and saidcountershaft, a driven shaft, and means for rotating said driven shaftseparately from each step of said stepped pulley.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a main shaft running ing belt, a pulley looselymounted on said driven shaft from each step of said stepped countershaftadjacent to said belt receiving pulley. surface, and having the samediameter as said step, a clutching mechanism adapted to EDWARD WOODWARD'be operated at Will to rotatably connect the Witnesses:

hub of said pulley with said countershaft, a PENELOPE COMBERBACH,

driven shaft, and means for rotating said NELLm WHALEN.

G'opies of this patent may "be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,143,679, grantedJune 22, 1915,

upon the application of Edward M. Woodward, of Worcester, Massachusetts,for an improvement in Driving Mechanism for Variable-Speed Machines, anerror appears in the printed specification requiring correction asfollows: Page 2, line 113,

'after the Word said insert the Word stepped; and that the said LettersPatent should be read with this correction therein that the same mayconform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of July, A. D., 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

